Lee Sung-Min

Ah… King 2 Hearts… a hit from 2012 that is still great. It imagines a constitutional monarchy in modern South Korea, but with the same divide between North and South. Our male main character is the second in line to the throne, but reluctant to step up to the demands and responsibilities of his title. In an attempt to help him “grow up,” the King sends him on a peace-making mission to work with North Koreans for a military collaboration. There he meets our female lead, a North Korean assassin. Throw in a maniacal global arms dealer determined to crush the monarchy, a motley but lovable group of soldiers, royals, and all the family and political intrigue of mixing two long-separated countries… and you have an amazing show that is sure to entertain.

Overall Rating 9/10. A Fairy Tale Romance With North Korean Cuteness. Who Knew?

Work. It’s something most of us have to deal with about 50% of our waking lives, if not more. So much of your identity is tied to what your job is. What kind of life you lead is largely determined by your career, let’s face it. Whether you are a cop, a priest, a lawyer, a chemist, a construction worker, a teacher or a salaryman – your job wraps around you like an extra skin. It shapes your view of the world, the environment you grow accustomed to, the people you are in contact with, and the paycheck you learn to live on.

This is a show about work. It’s a character study, focusing on a few key players and exploring the nature of their personalities, their backgrounds, their current lives, and their struggles and successes as they navigate their careers. It’s fascinating, well written, engaging and just really good. It’s a show that makes you think. It doesn’t hand you all the answers. You’re expected to be smart enough to figure it out or patient enough to wait it out. And the pay off is worth it. It’s an odd mix of realism and subtle optimism, which makes you reflect deeply but offers you hope. I highly recommend it.